Test costs for testing the analog signal output of a digital-to-analog converter may contribute substantially to the overall cost of integrated circuits. Cost can be related to, for example, the type of tester used and the testing time on the tester. When generating an analog signal in response to changes in a digital code, the electronic circuits that generate the analog signal take time, known as “settling time,” to respond to the changes in the digital code. As a result, testing of the analog circuits may take additional time because the test device waits a “settling time” for each cell of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to generate an accurate output.
Although the “settling time” is not a significant amount of time in isolation, when the “settling time” of a number of cells under test is aggregated, the amount of time can be substantial. The extra testing time when multiplied by an hourly cost for a test device can result in substantial extra costs. In addition, equipment necessary for measuring millivolts and microvolts must have high precision to discern the differences between an accurate output and an inaccurate output.